


Pretty Eyes = Hollow Heart (?)

by FauxFoeFanworks



Category: Bleach
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-18
Updated: 2019-05-18
Packaged: 2020-03-07 06:13:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,341
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18867382
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FauxFoeFanworks/pseuds/FauxFoeFanworks
Summary: *this is not complete, I accidentally uploaded it and didn't realize and it's already got hits and a kudos so I don't want to just take it off but I'll finish it one of these days, haha*





	Pretty Eyes = Hollow Heart (?)

Ulquiorra's body is softer than Ichigo had ever imagined. He expected the firmness of lean muscle and the chill of a body made undead, but he wouldn't have been able to predict the  _life_ buzzing under the snow-white skin. There is absolutely no pigment in Ulquiorra's skin, but the colour of his eyes is so vivid that they stand out to onlookers almost even before his mask.

Ulquiorra's skin is cold and void of colour. He's seemingly lifeless. Until Ichigo touches him.

They were never meant to become close. Ichigo became part of Aizen's army through sheer necessity, a last-ditch effort to save his friends. Then, Ulquiorra is clearly Aizen's favourite of the Espada. Curiously, he's also apparently the most loyal.

Ichigo likes to think that, just maybe, he's putting that loyalty through a trial. It sure seems like it when Ulquiorra allows the younger into his chambers, silently stepping aside and closing the door after.

He says nothing when Ichigo decides to test the waters, approaching the small Espada and raising his left hand, settling it gently into the inky black of Ulquiorra's hair. He's oddly pleased to find it just as soft and silky as it looks, thick and a bit messy like usual. He's encouraged when he doesn't immediately get his hand cut off, and he's surprised when the raven's brows twitch down ever so slightly. Instead of his usual saddened demeanour, Ulquiorra seems questioning. He has proven himself to he obsessively curious many times in the past, after all.

Ichigo isn't sure how touching the remains of Ulquiorra's Hollow mask would go over and he hesitates to try it. Granted, the cuatro is by far much less violent than almost all of the lower-ranking Espada, but he also seems to have many more restrictions about himself. One wrong move might destroy the fragile trust he thinks he's managed to cultivate from the passive creature.

So, instead of trailing up, he simply threads his fingers through the short-ish locks of black. He's essentially petting Ulquiorra, and somehow the Arrancar doesn't seem to mind. There's few tangles he finds, so he doesn't have to worry about accidentally hurting him, either. Not that such a thing probably actually hurt, but it may be just enough to startle him. You can never be too sure. For all that his calm, aloof attitude gives off, there's something wild and unpredictable about Ulquiorra.

But there's also something strangely delicate in him. It goes deeper than just his doll-like appearance.

"Ulquiorra..." No reaction. Those poison-green eyes are already zeroed in on him. "Can I kiss you?"

He expects a no, he expects to be kicked out. He doesn't expect Ulquiorra to tilt his head slightly to the side (into Ichigo's touch) and ask, "Can you what?"

It's an abrupt reminder that Ulquiorra lacks humanity. Not necessarily in the sense that he has no morals or empathy, though he does seem to be lacking there, but rather he isn't meant to have it to begin with. Once upon a time, likely centuries ago, Ulquiorra had been human. But now this slender, powerful, seemingly so, so young doll-like soldier is all there is of evidence of a mortal life long-passed. Just like most Hollow and Arrancar, Ichigo doubts Ulquiorra remembers his human life.

Maybe he had family. The Espada are sort of siblings of a kind, aren't they? Does that mean Ulquiorra is one of the oldest or the youngest? His appearance may be deceiving in more than just his strength...

"You don't know what a kiss is?" He tries to keep the tease out of his voice. Of course. Boyish as he looks, this one isn't human. Affection may not even be something Hollows know. Or maybe it's just something _Ulquiorra_ doesn't know.

Really, the Espada's expression gives it away, but there's an answer anyway. "...No."

Ichigo brushes the long bangs out of the raven's face. His voice is little more than a whisper, as if afraid anything much louder will scare Ulquiorra off. It just might. "Can I show you?"

It takes trust for many people to kiss someone, or let themselves be kissed. It takes trust and care for an average person, often, but just how _much_ trust and care would it take an Espada? Especially one like Ulquiorra, who doesn't seem to trust anyone, and might not even have the capacity to truly care for anyone or anything. Ichigo remembers hearing a conversation about Death Aspects and how they are the basic element of who and what an Espada is. Ulquiorra's is... Emptiness. But in what sense? Did someone choose those or are they just how the Arrancar are born?

The way Ulquiorra's emerald eyes widen just slightly when Ichigo brushes his cheek with his thumb speaks volumes about this creature who never shows his thoughts on his face. Ichigo thinks distantly that, they are the _basic_ elements. His Death Aspect simply can't be all Ulquiorra is. This seems to be proof of that.

It takes trust and care, presumably even more so for someone like Ulquiorra, and yet- the raven nods ever so slightly. Ichigo wonders what exactly that could mean.

With his permission, Ichigo slips his hand from the pale cheek to the slim neck, gently wrapping around the back. Ulquiorra makes no sign of discomfort, and Ichigo is _really_ looking to make sure. There's something surely romantic about being the first kiss for a powerful being from another dimension, but Ichigo was never one to fall in for that sappy stuff. Still. The thought occurs.

Ulquiorra has a habit of not raising his head to acknowledge people, no matter how much taller than him they are. And many people are taller, because he's honestly rather small. It's... cute. But it also means that he's not tilting his face up like he needs to, only aiming his eyes up to stare at Ichigo. So, the younger uses his other hand to cup the soft line of his jaw and direct him to make up for that difference, glad it doesn't take much force for him to get the idea and go along with it.

His skin is utterly flawless, and that alone tells of his nonhuman nature. Not for the first time, Ichigo thinks that the teal tear marks that run all the way from Ulquiorra's eyes to the edge of his jaw might have a deeper meaning. He always looks so sad. The black colouring of his upper lip is strange, as well, and still appears perfectly natural. If he were human, he'd probably be mistaken for a pop rock idol or something.

"Kurosaki Ichigo." There's no demand, no real intent in the tone. It's spoken softly, without much more meaning than to establish himself in the moment, it seems. Sure enough, Ulquiorra finally takes one of his hands out of his pockets, something that would usually be a sign of trouble, and lightly grasps Ichigo's wrist where it brushes his neck. He doesn't move to push the touch away.

He expects the chill, Ulquiorra is technically undead, after all. But his mismatched lips are so disarmingly soft when Ichigo leans down and kisses them, keeping it light and fairly chaste so that he doesn't risk startling the Espada. He meets the questioning gaze, watching as it goes notably wide for just a split second before relaxing, back to his usual unaffected stare. Ichigo can see the way his cat-like pupils start to slightly dilate, though.

Ichigo breaks the kiss before he can potentially overwhelm or overstep any boundaries. "Why do you always use my full name? Just 'Ichigo' is fine."

"Yes, but," It's undeniable. Ulquiorra's eyes glance down to the teen's mouth. He sounds a bit distracted. "That is what your 'friends' call you. I have never been so closely related to someone to have that informality."

He states it like a cold hard fact.

Ichigo raises an eyebrow at him. "You call the other Espada by their first names."

Ulquiorra's typical frown seems to deepen a little bit. Possibly in confusion or something of the like. "My colleagues are completely different from those like you."

"Like me?"

A pause. Ulquiorra's fingers tighten just slightly around the redhead's wrist. "...Humans that try to get close. Like that girl."

Oh. That makes sense. Of course Ulquiorra would put anyone that tries to know him in a different category as he does everyone else. It seems to be his main method of understanding people, or at lest attempting to. Ichigo has no idea what it could be like to view the world in such a way, with organizing and struggling to comprehend why or how people do the things they do.

"Well, I am one of your colleagues now, aren't I?" He smiles slightly, feeling oddly hopeful. "I use your first name."

"True. But as does everyone else. If Master speaks my last name, it likely isn't for good reason."

It's almost comically similar to when a kid's parent calls with their full name to scold the kid, but somehow Ichigo doubts Aizen's punishments for his Espada are more extreme than a time-out or phone rights revoked.

"And, besides. You are not loyal to Lord Aizen." Ichigo's breath catches. _Of course_ Ulquiorra sees right through him. But... he doesn't seem mad or upset in the absolute least. He just seems... knowing. "I am convinced that he knows this, and yet believes your spirit to be breakable. He thinks this of Grimmjow, as well."

His point is made though he doesn't explicitly state it. Ulquiorra probably won't ever talk badly about Aizen, even though there is suggestion and dark implication in his words. Ichigo doesn't drop his hand. Ulquiorra's thumb presses lightly against his pulse-point, feeling the slightly quickened pace of the teen's heartbeat.

"What do you think, Ulquiorra?" It feels like a damning question, but he asks it anyways. The emerald eyes cast away, finding the window with its curtains drawn. There is no light outside to keep out, though.

"I think that you could become loyal. But not to Aizen. He has..." He's massaging the joint of his wrist now. Ichigo knows this pale hand and black nails have been covered in blood, strong enough to rip bare through a man's chest, ruthless enough to not even pause while doing it. He doesn't feel an ounce of danger, despite Ulquiorra's heavy, ethereal aura.

"We have hurt you and your companions too much for that, I'm sure." He blinks those big green eyes, looking back up, and somehow he seems _innocent_. Ichigo wants to wince at the memory of what the Espada and their lord have done, but somehow Ulquiorra's stare isn't allowing him to dwell much on it at this moment. "And, yet, you appear... fond, of me. I can't understand it."

Again, the dark brows twitch just ever so slightly. Maybe it's... irritation? "Unless, of course, you simply find my body sexually attractive. The sexta has stated that I appear 'delicate', and as such appeal to a stronger, more arrogant personality such as him. He and a few others seem to believe I would allow scum such as they are to dominate me."

For a second, Ichigo can only stare at him. Where did all that even come from?

"Wait, wait-" A laugh bubbles up from his chest. It slips out in a brief bark and, yeah, Ulquiorra's eyes definitely narrow just a fraction. "You know what it means to be 'sexually attractive', but you got lost on a kiss?"

"Mating is an instinct to Hollows. As it is, I could and would never do such a thing at the time that I had my full mask, when the primal instincts were arguably strongest. A 'kiss', must be a more human concept. Romanticism isn't a part of our natural order and we cannot breed like humans." He explains like a text book, the little frown on his lips oddly adorable. Damn it, how does he not know the faces he's making? Of course Ichigo ended up liking him!

Uh- Did Ulquiorra just admit to being a virgin? Thankfully, instead of voicing that, Ichigo blurts out another question before he can think twice about it. "Did you hate it, though?"

Ulquiorra falls quiet. Did he overstep? Should he not have asked? He wanted to know, but if Ulquiorra doesn't want to tell him, there's not much he can do.

But he doesn't stop his seemingly mindless ministrations to Ichigo's wrist. Maybe he's just thinking?

"...No. It was fine."

Ichigo nearly deflates. "Fine isn't exactly a compliment, y'know."

"It was pleasurable and I would not harm you if you did it again." _Oh_. That was a lot all of a sudden. Widened brown eyes meet passive green, a sort of life visible in the jaded depths that may very well be amusement. "Is that better?"

"Still a little morbid, but yeah." He leans in again, now that he's been given a second permission, and this time puts just a bit more pressure into the kiss. Much to his surprise, Ulquiorra actually responds this time. He adds his own force to it, copies the way Ichigo moves, learning just as quickly as he had when observing the humans. His eyes say nothing now, but the increasing activity simply tells the redhead that his focus is on mastering the closed-mouth kiss.

"I still-" It's strangely satisfying to be able to interrupt Ulquiorra's sentence with a kiss and not get murdered for it. "Do not comprehend why-" _Deeply_ satisfying, actually. "You chose me."

He genuinely wants to know. He doesn't ask questions he doesn't want the answers to, of course. Ichigo drops his voice to a whisper, voice kind to speak to a being who likely has never been shown any warmth in his long life. "Let me show you. Can I touch you?"

He pauses to breathe and Ulquiorra watches him calmly for a moment... His eyes slide closed. Trusting. "Please."

It's pure. But it shouldn't be. It's somehow all they need.


End file.
